ChatGPT Plus vs Claude Pro: price, plans, and which to keep
Current US prices, price history, trial terms, and cancellation friction side by side, built from our service guides. Last reviewed August 26, 2026.
The short answer
Both cost $20 a month, so the decision is about the tiers around that price. OpenAI sells a cheaper $8 Go plan below Plus and a $200-a-month Pro plan above it. Anthropic has no cheap tier but offers annual Pro billing at $200, which saves $40, plus Max plans at $100 and $200 a month. Neither offers a free trial; both keep your history when you drop to the free tier; and both charge more if you subscribe through the iOS or Android app.
ChatGPT Plus is cheaper by $104 a year on its entry plan.
At a glance
| ChatGPT Plus | Claude Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest standard plan | Go: $8/mo | Pro (annual): $200/yr |
| Cheapest plan per year | $96 | $200 |
| Most expensive plan | Pro: $200/mo | Max 20x: $200/mo |
| Price changes since 2023 | 3 | 1 |
| Latest price change | January 2026 | September 2023 |
| Free trial | No free trial for Plus; the free ChatGPT tier remains available. | No free trial for Pro; a capable free tier is available. |
| Cancellation | 4 steps · app-store or partner billing caveat | 4 steps · app-store or partner billing caveat |
Cheapest and most expensive plans exclude add-ons, student, bundle, and per-seat plans. Price changes are counted from January 2023. US list prices, last reviewed August 26, 2026.
Which one should you pick?
Choose ChatGPT Plus if…
Pick ChatGPT if you want a cheaper entry point ($8 Go), rely on custom GPTs, or need the $200 Pro tier's limits. Check the free tier before renewing: OpenAI keeps moving last year's paid features down to free users.
Choose Claude Pro if…
Pick Claude if you use it for long documents and coding and will keep it a full year; annual billing at $200 makes it the only one of the two with a discount. Projects and conversations survive a downgrade, so cancelling between work bursts is painless.
Every current plan
ChatGPT Plus plans
| Plan | Current price |
|---|---|
| GoLower-cost tier with expanded limits; OpenAI may test ads. | $8/mo |
| Plus | $20/mo |
| Pro | $200/mo |
Claude Pro plans
| Plan | Current price |
|---|---|
| Pro (monthly) | $20/mo |
| Pro (annual) | $200/yr |
| Max 5xFive times Pro capacity per session. | $100/mo |
| Max 20x | $200/mo |
US list prices; taxes, promotions, and app-store billing may differ. Last reviewed August 26, 2026.
Price history, both services
January 2026 · ChatGPT Plus
Plus unchanged at $20 through mid-2026; Go tier ($8) rolled out as a lite option.
December 2024 · ChatGPT Plus
Pro tier introduced at $200/month for heavy users.
September 2023 · Claude Pro
Claude Pro launched at $20/month, which remains the current US monthly price.
February 2023 · ChatGPT Plus
ChatGPT Plus launched at $20/month.
How to run both without paying for both
Paying for both is $40 a month, $480 a year. Rotate by project instead: subscribe to the one your current work needs, cancel from the web (not the app) when it ends, and keep the other on its free tier. Only go annual on one.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro?
ChatGPT Plus. Its cheapest standard plan works out to $8 a month ($96 a year) versus $16.67 a month ($200 a year) for Claude Pro, a difference of $104 a year. Bundles, promotions, and app-store billing can change the final price.
Is Claude Pro cheaper than ChatGPT Plus?
Monthly they are identical at $20. Claude is cheaper over a year if you pay annually, $200 versus $240. ChatGPT is cheaper if the $8 Go plan covers your usage.
Do I lose my chats if I cancel ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro?
No. Both drop you to their free tier with history, custom GPTs and Projects intact. You lose the higher usage limits and newest models, not your data.
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